Archive for the ‘Moshe's Blog’ Category
Chanukah: Miracle and Nature
Written on December 10, 2009 from the desk of Rabbi Moshe TreppWhat insights can we derive between the house of Shammai which holds that we should light eight candles on the first night of Chanukah and go downwards, and the house of Hillel which says that we should start with one candle and increase every evening?
The Talmud says that Shammai goes by the days to come and decrease the number, to teach us that we only have limited time in this world. Each day it diminishes and, therefore, we should use the time which is left to the best advantage.
Hillel, however, holds that we should not worry too much about the future but thank Hashem for every day. Use each day for a good purpose as it comes and then add to the previous ones. Read more »
The Role of Isaac?
Written on November 18, 2009 from the desk of Rabbi Moshe TreppIt is true that we need leaders, but followers are equally as important.
Compared to the other two forefathers, Isaac seems to be the least prominent yet there is a great deal to say about him.
Whilst Abraham was a Pioneer, and Jacob a fighter, Isaac seems to have been passive. At the Akieda the verse states “G-d tested Abraham”, and not Isaac (Gen. 22). His name was not changed like those of the other two forefathers. As regards to his work, we are told that he dug up the wells of his father, and he even required the service of Eliezer, the marriage broker, to find himself a wife.
Yet his role was equally important in a number of ways. Let me illustrate this with the following anecdote: A student applied to a University. The father had to fill out an application form. One of the questions was: Is your son a leader? The father replied. “I am not sure of that, but he is an excellent follower.” In a letter of acceptance the dean made the following remark: “As our freshman group will consist of several hundred leaders, we congratulate ourselves that your son will also be a member of the college. We shall thus be assured of one good follower!”